Eddie Howe explains the brilliance of Sandro Tonali | OneFootball

Eddie Howe has been talking about Sandro Tonali, explaining the brilliance of the Italy international.

When the midfielder puts in a below average performance you really really notice it, due to how rare that is.

I often wonder how different the 2023/24 season would have turned out, if Sandro Tonali had been available throughout.

Arguably the worst season ever for injuries in Newcastle United’s entire history and yet Eddie Howe worked his genius so much, United only finished eight points adrift of top four.

These past 12 months we have all come to understand just how good Sandro Tonali is, so if not for that near season long ban that helped mean he only started five Premier League games in 2023/24, what if say the Italy midfielder had only missed five PL matches that season? I honestly think he could and would have made the difference for Newcastle to have picked up an extra 8+ points that season and qualified for the Champions League for a second season in a row, rather than having a gap year.

Remember as well, just how depleted a team we ended up having by the time of that Carabao Cup quarter-final at Chelsea, yet still should have won it in December 2024 when leading with seconds to go. With Tonali in the team he could well have made the difference and it very likely would have seen Newcastle facing second tier Middlesbrough home and away in the semi-final, massive favourites to get a second consecutive Wembley final, again, rather than having a gap year.

Once his ban ended in August 2024 after the opening two Premier League matches, Sandro Tonali then played in all of the remaining 36 Premier League matches and Newcastle United qualified for the Champions League.

Sandro Tonali was rested for the AFC Wimbledon cup match but started in all of the other six, as United beat Forest, Chelsea, Brentford, Arsenal (twice) and Liverpool. Six cup wins against teams that would finish in the top half of the Premier League last season and actually five of the victories over clubs that would end up top seven.

The 25 year old is still to reach his peak years as a player, in three years time he will be 28 and could be even more levels above what he is now.

As Eddie Howe details, Sandro Tonali can do everything.

Defensive cover, link up play, create chances, score goals, whilst his pace across the turf is simply astonishing.

Eddie Howe explains why Sandro Tonali is so good:

“I think that he covered every blade [of grass against Wolves].

“He was putting out a lot of fires on transitions for us.

“I think he has done that superbly well.

“Sometimes it’s not necessarily a quality that registers immediately.

“But the number of times that he reads the game, reads where the ball’s going to drop and he’s there first, then you realise it’s a massive skill of his.

“His athleticism, his speed.

“So defensively, I think Sandro is one of the reasons why we have been so strong.

“But of course, the other side of his game, his use of the ball and his creativity, nearly scored a great goal for us [against Wolves].